A NEW FORM OF DREDGE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 15 June 1901, Page 3

A NEW FORM OF DREDGE.

A trial of a new form of dredge elevator which throws the material (even large atones) away with great force, and which it is claimed will displace the elevator at present in use on dredges, is described in a recent issue of the New Zealand Mining and Engineering Journal, from which we quote as follows :—“ln the first tost about five tons of stone, some of which consisted of rubble about a foot in diameter, was put through the machine, and it disposed of this readily, throwing the most of it to a distance of about 100 ft, while some of the larger stones were cast as far as 3C-oft. In the second test the stone was bagged, and emptied down the shoot in a continuous stream, and ihe result was even more satisfactory, the material being hurled away to a distance without any trouble. The trial with the stone used was perfectly successful, and given the same results with the varied material that is taken up in the elevator buckets on a dredge, the invention is a most important one to the mining industry.- The machine consists of a wheel or drum with beaters o? Yftnqs somewhat similar to a

water-wheel. It was driven at a speed of 240 revolutions per The tailings are delivered on to the periphery of the drum, and being struck by the revolving beaters, are projected in the required direction.” The advantages claimed are cheapness of construction, and less wear and tear. It is contended that by substituting the simple unpretentious looking wheel for the huge 120 ft elevator, a saving of £6OOO to £6600 could have been effected in one at least of the mammoth dredges now being built.